Making Space and Sense for a Garden

Taking care of a garden doesn’t seem like a good use of time and labor, particularly if you’re busy with work, or don’t even have space for a garden. However, a garden does have many advantages, many of which are far more than having some herbs ready for your dishes. Here are some tips and guidelines on how to have a garden, even with a punishing schedule or with little or no space at home.

Why do we garden?

There are three basic reasons why we should try taking care of a garden

1) Food – On the practical side of things, a garden can help you have seasonal fruits and vegetable, aside from herbs and spices, all ready at the right time. And if you mix in a bit of hydroponic in your gardening, you may even be able to grow more vegetables and fruits for yourself. This is a good thing, from the point of view of nutrition and grocery costs.

2) Aesthetics – For some people, watching plants grow, and contributing to that growth, makes for a great stress reliever. There is also a meditative aspect to taking care of a garden, and it’s for that reason many people grow gardens – it gives them “time to think.”

3) Air quality – For those who can grow plants on windowsills and other such, plants can also act as a way to get at least some of the pollution out of the way, particularly if you’re living in an urban environment.

Where can I put a garden?

Normally, even a small back yard is enough, as long as you get enough sunlight. However, if you don’t have a decent backyard, then your windowsills and balcony (if you have one) can serve as in-pot garden areas. You can even set up vertical tier gardens on walls, so you can maximize space, right in your kitchen.

Are there any issues about having a garden?

For one, you do have to check if what you’re planting might give someone in the apartment an allergic reaction. Also, you have to be realistic: if a particular plant needs a lot of space to grow correctly, and you don’t have that space, then you just have to accept it and find something else to grow. Finally, you have to think, too about how you will take care of your plants if you have to go on vacation for some time, or if you have a schedule that simply does not appeal to proper watering and use of fertilizer. In such a case, it will pay to do some research on water drip feeders and the like – hydroponic technology can help you with keeping your plants watered even if you’re not there.

Other concerns?

If you will create a garden in your apartment, it would be a wise decision to check on your lease first if it’s allowed. Even if it is, do contact your landlord with as detailed a plan about the garden as possible.